Research Interest: Research in my laboratory focuses on the role of cell signaling in hematopoietic development and disorders. We study the Notch signaling pathway and its role in regulating the development and cell fate decisions of fetal hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in mouse models. The overall goal is to understand the molecular and signaling cues that allow for the great regenerative potential of fetal HSCs and to develop biomedical approaches that will allow adult bone-marrow HSCs to self-renew and expand with the same potency as fetal HSCs.

The overall goal of this research is to "turn back the clock" on adult blood cells and develop laboratory methods that will help rejuvenate and replenish the blood supply for clinical applications and blood transfusion in patients.

My lab is still very new, but this will be a great opportunity for an undergraduate student to learn directly from me and thus help lay the foundation of the research in my lab. I expect my lab to grow as graduate students and research specialists will join in the coming months. This will allow for more diverse topics of study and the introduction of many new laboratory techniques.

Minimum time commitment in hours per week: 20

Qualifications of a Student: Minimum GFP: 2.8

Necessary classes: BIOS 100 with lab, CHEM 112 with lab.

Recommended classes: BIOS 220, BIOS 221, BIOS 222, CHEM 232

Years in college: 2nd year student

Honors college student and prior laboratory experience preferred but not required.

Brief Summary of what is expected from the student: I am looking for a dedicated and talented individual to carry out exciting novel studies in stem cell research.

The student is expected to be courteous and considerate. He or she is expected to be punctual, willing to learn and perform experiments with focus and dedication. The student is expected to maintain a laboratory notebook of the protocols and methods performed and is expected to understand the experiments that he or she is performing.

The focus of the work can be either molecular or cellular biology depending on the preference of the student.